A Quick Song
by gh44444
Summary: A Chientrope and a Pallum discuss whether their familia is worth leaving or not. Reader beware there is singing.


"Well, that could have gone better." A man says, climbing the stairs of the Dungeon. 

The man is tall, around 6'4, and wears a brown linothorax with a broken falcata strapped to the belt. A short brown cape is draped around his neck and rests nicely against his back, its length going down to his hips. The cape is torn at the bottom, and the fabric is jagged. The man wears a steel cassis crista helmet which conceals his face. The helmet has two holes in the head which allow the man's dog ears to poke through. A fluffy black tail sticks out from beneath his linothorax and sways gently with every step. A pouch rests on his belt filled to the brim with dark crystals of various sizes. 

"What do you think, Nef?" The man asks stopping on the stairs and looking behind him

Behind the man, a few steps behind him walks a petite girl around 3'5. A Pallum, to be exact. She wears an outfit similar to the man with exceptions to the helmet and the falcata. Her face is completely exposed, revealing her cute face and scruffy blond hair. On her belt lies a gladius roughly about her size and a pouch that is suspiciously empty. 

She stays silent and walks past the man. The man turns his head back forward and lets out a sigh and a shrug.

As they continue walks up the stairs, they begin to pass people. As they approach the top of the Dungeon, the number of people they see increases. This number increases tenfold as they reach the top of the stairs and enter into what could be described as a lobby. In these lobby adventurers wearing varieties of gear talk among themselves. Some move towards the staircase, and some leave the hall through two great doors. 

Nef walks to the door, her head hanging low, and pushes the doors leading to the outside. The man follows behind his tail, rising a bit. 

As she pushes the door, the waning sun shines in her eyes. She places a hand in front of her face blocking the shine and takes a step forward. She walks to the fountain that lies directly in front of the Dungeon and sits on the cold stone basin. She stares blankly at the ground as the man takes a seat next to her. 

"Somethings wrong, isn't it." The man says, leaning towards her. 

Nef looks at him and nods slowly.

"Well, spit it out." The man says, placing a hand on Nef's shoulder. "I'm not a bloody mind reader." He takes out a waterskin and sticks it under his helmet drinking the content of it. 

Nef lets out a deep sigh. "I think I'm going to leave the familia."

The man lets out a spew of water through the helmet. He pounds his chest with his fist coughing up the water. He looks at Nef. "What?!" He says exasperated.

She gives him a solemn smile. "Yeah, I've been thinking about it for a while, Andreas."

Andreas lets out a few more coughs before regaining his composure. "Why would you want to do that?" He asks, confused. 

Nef lets out a shrug. "I feel like I'm useless to the familia." She says, bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. 

"Useless?!" Andreas questions. "You're not useless, Nef. Nobody in the familia would believe that." 

"You're kind, Andreas. I'm not an amazing fighter like you. I mean, look." She says, opening the pouch attached to her belt. 'Nothing. I killed not a single monster in the Dungeon today." 

"That doesn't matter, Nef. We all have our bad days." Andreas comforts. 

"No, Andreas. You have bad days. I've been having a bad year. I haven't contributed any valis to the familia since joining." 

"That's not true, Nef. You contribute more than just valis to the familia." 

She looks at him with anger in her eyes. "Then how do I contribute to the familia!" She angrily shouts at him.

"Well…." Andreas trails off. He rubs his helmet.

"That's what I thought." She looks back at the ground. "I contribute nothing to the familia. And not only that." She goes quieter. "I'm alone."

"You're not alone, Nef. You have the familia." 

"The familia only cares about me because I'm apart of it." She argues. "If I weren't apart of it, nobody would want to associate with me." 

"I would associate with you," Andreas says innocently.

Nef bites her lip. "You're only saying that to make me feel better."

"You know I'm not. We're both myrmidons. If I didn't associate with you, what type of person would I be." 

"So that's why you stay with me."

Andreas lets out a sigh. "You know that isn't what I meant. You're important to the familia." He moves his arm to her far shoulder and moves her closer to him. "And, you're important to me." 

Nef uses her hand to brush away her hair and looks at him. "You really think that?"

"Yes, I do. Chienthropes and Pallums need to stick together." He says happily, his tail wagging.

Andreas stands up from the basin and stands in front of Nef. He removes his helmet, carefully revealing his face to her. His face is somewhat handsome and lacks any significant features other than his different colored eyes. His left eye is light grey, and his right eye is emerald green. He kneels in front of Nef and gives a goofy smile. 

She can't help but smile at his goofy look. Her smile quickly fades, however. "I still think I should leave the familia."

Andreas put a hand on her shoulder. "If you leave, then I leave." 

"You don't have to leave because of me, Andreas. You need to stay with the familia you are actually useful to them." 

Andreas pouts. "I don't care if I'm useful to them. I only care about where you go. We're partners, aren't we?" 

Nef blushes as Andreas says this. She looks away from him and brings her hands together, fidgeting them. "I suppose you're right." 

"In the light of the day." Andreas sings.

"Wait, Andreas, you don't-"

"In the dark of the night."

Nef looks down her face red with embarrassment. "Andreas, stop." 

"When your rarin' to go." Andreas gets up from his knees and puts up a fight stance.

"Andreas…."

"When you're tired from the fight." He gently taps Nef on the nose with his fist.

She flinches from his tap and looks around to see other adventurers looking at the duo.

"When you're losing your mind. Let me give you a thought." Andreas does a spin that looks awkward for a man of his height.

Nef lets out a giggle.

"I'm going to be right by your side no matter what." He goes down to one knee and extends his hand, gracefully towards Nef. 

Nef extends her hand to greet his, but hesitates at the last moment and retracts her hand. "I don't know about this, Andreas. People are starting to stare."

"Let them stare," Andreas says with a smile, grabbing hold of her hand and dragging her off the basin of the fountain. "Just repeat after me." 

"This discussion isn't over." She says. "A little song won't change my mind."

Andreas rolls his eyes. "Just calm down and sing with me." Andreas lets out a cough. "In the dark of the night." He sings again.

"In the dark of the night," Nef repeats quietly.

Andreas raises her hand and gently spins her on her heels. "In the light of the day."

"In the light of the day." Nef sings even quieter.

Andreas spins Nef around so that she faces the doorway leading to the Dungeon and places his chin on her head. "When you're rising to shine." 

Nef looks at the Dungeon and lets out a long sigh. "This is stupid I-" 

Before she can finish, Andreas spins her so that she faces him, and he puts a finger to her mouth. He shakes his head. "Sing," He says gently. 

"Ugh." Nef lets out. "When you're rising to shine." She mumbles.

"When you're hitting the hay." Andreas grabs hold of Nef's hand and starts to lead her to the bustling lights of Orario.

Nef realizes where he is trying to take her. She plants her feet into the ground and pulls against Andreas's grip. "When you're hitting the hay." She struggles to sing.

"I'll be hanging around." Andreas lets go of her hand, causing her to fall back on her butt. 

"I'll be hanging around." Nef spits back from the ground. She rubs her butt to ease the pain.

Before she can even think, she is swept off the ground by Andreas and carried like a princess in his arms. "If you like it or not." 

"If you like it or not." She embarrassedly murmurs. Her cheeks have turned a rosy red as she looks at Andreas.

"I'm gonna be right by your side no matter what." They both sing together.

Both Nef and Andreas bear a confused face as they look at each other.

"How did you know I was going to sing that?" Andreas asks curiously.

Nef gives him a coy smile. "I just figured it out from before. It's a simple song."

"A simple song for a simple dog," Andreas chirps. He lets Nef down from his arms, and she takes place next to him. "Wanna head to the city?" 

"Sure," Nef says plainly. "As long as you keep singing."

Andreas looks at her, dumbfounded. His ears stand up, and his tail wags frantically, hitting Nef in the back of the head. "Well, as long as it's good with you." He takes a breath. "I'm gonna be right by your side no matter what." He points to Nef. "No matter what." 

"No matter what." Nef points back to Andreas.

"No matter what." Andreas takes a big step in front of Nef.

"No matter what," Nef responds by taking a leap so that she's in front of Andreas 

"No matter what." Andreas does a small kick in the air

"No matter what." Nef copies his kick

"No matter what." Andreas flexes his arm

"No matter what." Nef flexes both her arms

"Oh, I'm gonna be." Andreas leans towards Nef.

"Oh, I'm gonna be." Nef leans towards Andreas so that their shoulder to shoulder.

"Right by your side." Andreas takes a knee in front of Nef.

"Right by your side." Nef places her hand on Andreas's head and rubs his ear.

"I'm gonna be right by your side no matter what." They both sing in unison.

Andreas gets up, and the two of them walk towards the town. They walk down the cobbled streets of Orario. They stop at a lonely tavern that is entirely devoid of people except for an elvish barmaid. They enter into the central area of the bar and sit by a table. A barmaid comes by and gives them a slight nod as she walks back to the kitchen. Within moments she comes back out with two plates full of leftover food. She places them in front of Andreas and Nef and gives them a slight smile as she rushes back to the kitchen. 

Andreas is the first to start munching on the food in front of him. Nef doesn't touch the food on her plate, much preferring to look at Andreas consume the food on his. 

"In the dark of the night." She sings much to Andreas's surprise. "In the light of the day. When you're rising to shine. When you're hitting the hay."

Andreas quickly swallows the food in his mouth and looks at Nef. "Just remember this song." 

"How's it go?" Nef asks. "I forgot." She lets out a giggle.

Andreas lets out his goofy smile again. "I'm going to be right by your side no matter what."

Nef returns the smile and starts to eat the food on her plate. They both chomp down on their food like rabid animals. The elvish barmaid watches in horror from the bar as they both raise their plates for seconds. The dishes stack higher as the sun hides away in the sky, and the moon makes her appearance. By the time the duo leaves the bar, the moon has reached its highest point in the sky. They both leave the bar and walk back out onto the cobbled streets of Orario. 

"Through whoever you've been." Andreas sings.

"Through whoever you've been." Nef gently touches Andreas's hand

"Through whoever you'll be." Andreas places his hand on her shoulder

"Through whoever you'll be." Nef places her hand on his hand

"Through whatever you lose." Andreas stops

"Through whatever you lose." Nef stops

"You will always have me." Andreas' faces Nef

"You will always have me." Nef faces Andreas

"At the end of your road." Andreas takes a knee

"At the end of your road." Nef touches Andreas's ears

"I'll be holding you taught." Andreas grabs hold of Nef and hugs her much to her surprise

"I'll be holding you taught." Nef sings, gently returning the hug. 

"I'm going to be right by your side no matter what." They sing in unison. "Be right by your side. Be right by your side. Be right by your side, no matter what. 

Andreas gives Nef a gentle smile. "That's the song."

Nef brushes the hair from her face. "It's a good song."

"So, what's your decision?" Andreas asks. 

Nef looks at the ground and thinks for a bit. She looks back at Andreas. "I think I'll stay with the familia. At least as long as you are in it."

Andreas smiles goofily. "That's good enough for me. Let's go home."

"Lets," Nef responds slightly relieved.

The duo makes their way down the streets and disappears into the night with smiles on their faces.


End file.
